1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatuses for extinguishing fires, spraying insecticides and spraying dispersant chemicals to break up oil slicks via an aircraft and, more particularly, to an aircraft spraying conversion kit which includes a dispensing manifold assembly removably coupled to an open or closed aircraft door and supported by a frame having support legs which also lock the opened aircraft door in a predetermined open position while the aircraft is in flight.
2. General Background
During the summer months or during droughts heavily wooded areas are prone to fires. Recently, the state of Florida experienced wide spread fires which threatened human life and devastation of communities. California also experienced wide spread fires which have threatened human life and devastation of high priced real estate. The state of Louisiana requested voluntary ban on fireworks last summer because of the lack of rainfall leaving the foliage and wooded areas very dry and susceptible to fires. One of the biggest problems with wildfires is the inability to rapidly extinguish fires in the woods because of the lack of access or absence of roads into such wooded area. Thereby, the use of fire trucks equipped with water and/or chemicals deep into flaming wooded areas have proven to be futile in most cases. As a result, the use of aircraft to expel chemicals and/or water from high in the sky has been attempted with some success.
Several apparatuses have been patented which are aimed at aerial dispensing of chemicals or fire extinguishing agents via an aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,630, issued to Jefferies, entitled “SPRAY BOOM APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS TO OCEAN OIL SPILLS” discloses a self-contained spraying boom apparatus which is permitted to be extended from the cargo hold of a transport plane to a position outside of the plane's fuselage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,693, issued to Busch et al., entitled “DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES FROM THE AIR” discloses a fire-extinguishing device which includes an inclined baffled tank in the fuselage adjacent and at a higher level than rearwardly opening door. The discharge pipe is swingably connected to the rear end of the tank. A valve in the discharge pipe is opened automatically when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,499, issued to Richardson et al, entitled “POWDER AND WATER MIXING AND DROPPING SYSTEM ONBOARD AN AIRCRAFT” discloses a powder and water mixing system which allows water from a body of water, such as a lake or river, to be scooped via scoops mounted on the bottom of the fuselage as the aircraft travels over the body of water. The water is mixed with a fire retardant powder in the aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,506, issued to Hubbs, entitled “UNIVERSAL CHEMICAL DELIVERY SYSTEM” discloses a system for dispensing chemicals from an airplane while in flight. The chemicals are stored in a collapsible or deflateable storage means removably positioned within the load space of the airplane. A spray nozzle assembly is detachably affixed to the wing or tail of the airplane for distributing the chemicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,062, issued to Johnson, entitled “AERIAL DISPENSING APPARATUS” discloses an aerial crop dusting apparatus which includes a plurality of spaced ejector tubes extending along the wings of the plane for dispensing metered powder or granular material from a feed hopper or bin in the fuselage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,017, issued to Nutter, entitled “GRID SPRAY NOZZLE” discloses a grid spray nozzle including a fluid manifold having a plurality of spray nozzle conduits or tube extending in parallel relation from the fluid manifold. The grid spray nozzle is attached to the underside of the fuselage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,426,771, issued to Harp, entitled “AIRPLANE MOUNTED FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS” discloses an apparatus including tanks stored in the fuselage and a plurality of spaced nozzles coupled along the under face of the wings.
German Patent No. 477164 issued to Hugo Junkers discloses an aircraft for spraying fluids having a tank with a pressurized canister housed within the cargo hold of the fuselage.
Italian Patent No. 688732 issued to Dita Colantoni E Co. of Rome, discloses, an aircraft for spraying fluids having a tank housed within the cargo hold formed by the fuselage by valve members to conduits which pass through the wall of the fuselage and dispense the liquid through spray nozzles.
Another patent related to aerial dispensing includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,989, to issued to Skinner, entitled “INSECT DISPENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD” which does not meet the needs of the present invention.
As can be readily seen, there is a continuing need for an aircraft spraying conversion kit which includes a dispensing manifold assembly removably coupled to an open or closed aircraft door and supported by a support frame which can also lock the opened aircraft door in a predetermined open position while the aircraft is in flight.